‘Whopper virgins’ adverts criticised

A new Burger King advertising campaign featuring ‘Whopper virgins’ has caused a backlash on the internet days ahead of it being aired.

The advert – to be shown in the US – features people in obscure locations around the world who have never heard of the burger.

The ‘Whopper virgins’ then face a taste test and can be seen giving their verdict on whether they prefer Whoppers or Burger King’s rival, McDonald’s burgers.

The ad, which is shot documentary-style, visits countries including Thailand, Romania and Greenland.

It is due to air in the US this week, but some bloggers have already branded it offensive, while others say it is marketing gone mad.

One said: “Is this whopper ‘documentary’ really a documentary or just marketing gone overboard?”

Another said: “It’s hard to place exactly where this begins on the level of wrongness.

“The pipe flute South American music on the website, the pictures of people with horse and carts on one side, and on the other someone eating a Whopper.”

The blogger continued: “If visiting poor people in remote locations, some who would be at best surviving on below poverty levels and throwing a burger in their faces isn’t bad enough, it gets better, because they also ask the Whopper Virgins to compare the taste of the Whopper to a McDonalds Big Mac as well.”

Bloggers claim the film crew travelled 20,000 to make the adverts.

The website accompanying the campaign features images of indigenous people tucking into the burgers.

The “documentary” includes the use of “13 planes, 2 dog sleds and 1 helicopter”.

It says: “If you want a real opinion about a burger, ask someone who doesn’t even have a word for burger.”